We are addicted to food. We eat way too much of it and we waste it. Cutting down on our personal food consumption can preserve resources for others who desperately need it. This is different than dieting. We are not restricting our calorie or protein intake below the recommended amount, but simply choosing not to indulge food as entertainment or consolation. This is HARD, but consider taking some small steps:
1) Limit your meat consumption to once a week.
2) Buy less food than you think you need. When you find yourself scavenging for something, eat down the food in your cabinets (pasta, rice, soup, etc.) and avoid wasting the extra food that might have gone bad.
3) Be creative and invent new dishes out of left-overs. Make up something based on what you have on hand - this is how most great recipes are created.
4)Learn about complete proteins and how to avoid overeating protein. The More-With-Less Cookbook is a great place to start.
Have fun!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Buy Local
Our efforts to cut down on our energy usage and carbon emissions in our personal transportation habits are important. But if we are walking to the store just to buy something that has been shipped in from Illinois, Hawaii, or China, we are still paying others to use resources and pollute our world, many times unnecessarily. We must be conscious of where the products we buy are coming from.
It may not be possible to buy only local products. There is a wide variety of what products are available in our local communities. But even buying the ones you know to be local will make a difference.
Many of the benefits are ones already stated. But here's a few things to consider:
1) Buying local cuts down on demand for products that are shipped long distances in trucks. This reduces energy usage and pollution. It also cuts down on traffic, saving wear and tear on our highway systems and causing fewer accidents. Who doesn't want to live in a world where there are fewer semis on the roads?
2) It promotes community. When you buy local, many times you are interacting with the people who produce the items rather than a faceless corporation. Also, you are helping use your money to create jobs in your area.
3) It encourages bio-diversity. If everyone in North America is buying only foods that are shipped in from 3 or 4 regions, we quickly become more susceptible to crop and herd diseases.
4) It supports the entrepreneurship and artistic expression of the average person. One of the great losses of our developed nation is the loss of our creativity and willingness to nonconform or try new things. When you buy local, it is a great way to encourage those who chose to utilize their talents the way they wish to rather than trying to fit their gifts into a position with a corporation. It might even inspire you to create your own small business selling something you enjoy creating or growing.
Networking is the best way to connect with those who produce items locally. Check out local farmer's markets and talk to people about what they produce and where they get certain products. Also, talk to friends, coworkers, family. Often people who've lived in the area longer than you have are great resources.
I know in my area there are local farm 'shares' available, where you pay to receive a portion of whatever produce is in season at the time. Sometimes they even deliver! Craigslist might be another way to connect with local producers.
This requires a little leg-work and creativity, but I think you'll find it well worth the effort.
It may not be possible to buy only local products. There is a wide variety of what products are available in our local communities. But even buying the ones you know to be local will make a difference.
Many of the benefits are ones already stated. But here's a few things to consider:
1) Buying local cuts down on demand for products that are shipped long distances in trucks. This reduces energy usage and pollution. It also cuts down on traffic, saving wear and tear on our highway systems and causing fewer accidents. Who doesn't want to live in a world where there are fewer semis on the roads?
2) It promotes community. When you buy local, many times you are interacting with the people who produce the items rather than a faceless corporation. Also, you are helping use your money to create jobs in your area.
3) It encourages bio-diversity. If everyone in North America is buying only foods that are shipped in from 3 or 4 regions, we quickly become more susceptible to crop and herd diseases.
4) It supports the entrepreneurship and artistic expression of the average person. One of the great losses of our developed nation is the loss of our creativity and willingness to nonconform or try new things. When you buy local, it is a great way to encourage those who chose to utilize their talents the way they wish to rather than trying to fit their gifts into a position with a corporation. It might even inspire you to create your own small business selling something you enjoy creating or growing.
Networking is the best way to connect with those who produce items locally. Check out local farmer's markets and talk to people about what they produce and where they get certain products. Also, talk to friends, coworkers, family. Often people who've lived in the area longer than you have are great resources.
I know in my area there are local farm 'shares' available, where you pay to receive a portion of whatever produce is in season at the time. Sometimes they even deliver! Craigslist might be another way to connect with local producers.
This requires a little leg-work and creativity, but I think you'll find it well worth the effort.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Walk, bike, or take public transportation
Basically, avoid using your personal car when possible. I know for many of us in North America, this simply seems completely unfeasible. But consider the benefits:
1) You are cutting down on carbon emissions (did anyone see Al Gore's movie?) and reducing your use of gasoline, therefore preserving the earth's resources and refraining from further damaging its ozone.
2) You are consuming less of the world's resources and therefore leaving more for others.
3) You are saving money and cutting down on demand for a product whose suppliers are keeping the poor poor and using the money to fuel war.
4) You are getting exercise (even if it is just walking to the bus station) and perhaps saving time which would later be spent on a workout. This promotes physical and mental health.
5) You are actually slowing your life down in a positive way. It's harder to lead the every-minute-scheduled lifestyle many of us do when you aren't in complete control of getting from A to B on your own schedule.
6) You are making yourself more vulnerable to depend on other people and more open to encounter others (think taking a walk downtown vs. driving on a highway).
7) You are taking a courageous step toward non-conformity. In North America, our cars are our safety nets, our convenience machines, and our status symbols. By avoiding car-dependency, you are refusing to participate in society's addiction to defining ourselves by our material possessions.
There's a lot more I could say, but I'll stop there. I know this is a difficult one, but just think of the potential impact. It's something you have to plan for. And sometimes one big change can make all those little choices easier. For example, right now my husband and I live too far to walk to anywhere except church. Also, the road we live on is busy and dangerous. However, in choosing a house to buy, we chose one that is within walking distance to both our jobs, a grocery store, our doctor and dentist offices, our dog groomers, the hospital, restaurants, parks, and the market!
Not everyone can purchase a home situated in this way, but you can start small, by carpooling with a neighbor to work or daycare or by planning your week so that your errands can be done in one shot rather than with several small trips. Try identifying at least one destination that is within walking or biking distance and take a day or an afternoon to make an outing of it. It's at least as good for you as it for the environment and others. Have fun!
1) You are cutting down on carbon emissions (did anyone see Al Gore's movie?) and reducing your use of gasoline, therefore preserving the earth's resources and refraining from further damaging its ozone.
2) You are consuming less of the world's resources and therefore leaving more for others.
3) You are saving money and cutting down on demand for a product whose suppliers are keeping the poor poor and using the money to fuel war.
4) You are getting exercise (even if it is just walking to the bus station) and perhaps saving time which would later be spent on a workout. This promotes physical and mental health.
5) You are actually slowing your life down in a positive way. It's harder to lead the every-minute-scheduled lifestyle many of us do when you aren't in complete control of getting from A to B on your own schedule.
6) You are making yourself more vulnerable to depend on other people and more open to encounter others (think taking a walk downtown vs. driving on a highway).
7) You are taking a courageous step toward non-conformity. In North America, our cars are our safety nets, our convenience machines, and our status symbols. By avoiding car-dependency, you are refusing to participate in society's addiction to defining ourselves by our material possessions.
There's a lot more I could say, but I'll stop there. I know this is a difficult one, but just think of the potential impact. It's something you have to plan for. And sometimes one big change can make all those little choices easier. For example, right now my husband and I live too far to walk to anywhere except church. Also, the road we live on is busy and dangerous. However, in choosing a house to buy, we chose one that is within walking distance to both our jobs, a grocery store, our doctor and dentist offices, our dog groomers, the hospital, restaurants, parks, and the market!
Not everyone can purchase a home situated in this way, but you can start small, by carpooling with a neighbor to work or daycare or by planning your week so that your errands can be done in one shot rather than with several small trips. Try identifying at least one destination that is within walking or biking distance and take a day or an afternoon to make an outing of it. It's at least as good for you as it for the environment and others. Have fun!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Compost
Composting takes all your organic waste (the parts of produce you throw away or left-over food that went bad) and turns it into fertilizer for your garden. Composting is great! Here's why:
1) It cuts down on your waste (sometimes by half or more!), so you make fewer trips to the dumpster, use fewer plastic garbage bags and put less trash in a landfill.
2) It's good for the earth. You're putting valuable nutrients back into the soil, adding to environmental stability.
3) It's free fertilizer for you and helps your own produce turn out healthy and delicious.
4) It makes us more conscientious. Composting, like recycling, forces us to slow down and think about our impact on the earth and its resources. By carefully separating out what can be reused or composted, we train ourselves to live more thoughtfully and be creative about finding new uses for old things! Once you see that your waste is basically reduced to packaging (after composting and recycling) you might think twice before buying things that are over-packaged.
New to composting? Check out some gardening books from your local library for details on how to start doing it. Even if you don't have a yard for your own compost pile, composting bins are available that you can keep inside or on a porch. Sometimes the local waste authority sells these used at discounted rates.
Tip - Starbucks gives away free used coffee grounds everyday that are great for gardens and a great way to recycle. So stop by and ask us to make you a bag of "grounds for your garden."
Warning - don't use meat products in the compost pile. It's generally only safe to use waste from herbivores (cow manure, etc.) to fertilize produce that people will eat. But using meat or bones from herbivores can be risky (plus this attracts other animals). Another great reason to eat vegetarian!
1) It cuts down on your waste (sometimes by half or more!), so you make fewer trips to the dumpster, use fewer plastic garbage bags and put less trash in a landfill.
2) It's good for the earth. You're putting valuable nutrients back into the soil, adding to environmental stability.
3) It's free fertilizer for you and helps your own produce turn out healthy and delicious.
4) It makes us more conscientious. Composting, like recycling, forces us to slow down and think about our impact on the earth and its resources. By carefully separating out what can be reused or composted, we train ourselves to live more thoughtfully and be creative about finding new uses for old things! Once you see that your waste is basically reduced to packaging (after composting and recycling) you might think twice before buying things that are over-packaged.
New to composting? Check out some gardening books from your local library for details on how to start doing it. Even if you don't have a yard for your own compost pile, composting bins are available that you can keep inside or on a porch. Sometimes the local waste authority sells these used at discounted rates.
Tip - Starbucks gives away free used coffee grounds everyday that are great for gardens and a great way to recycle. So stop by and ask us to make you a bag of "grounds for your garden."
Warning - don't use meat products in the compost pile. It's generally only safe to use waste from herbivores (cow manure, etc.) to fertilize produce that people will eat. But using meat or bones from herbivores can be risky (plus this attracts other animals). Another great reason to eat vegetarian!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Buy used
This is a very simple thing, but something most North Americans are not in the habit of doing. Buying used products accomplishes several goals at once for simple living.
1) It is a form of recycling, using something that already exists rather than expending energy and resources to create something new. This also saves the used object from going straight to a landfill.
2) It does justice. In many cases, people have been exploited to produce the new thing that we are buying. Buying used cuts down on the demand for these items and refuses to fuel a corrupt system which abuses the poor.
3) It promotes generosity. 99% of the time, used items are less expensive than new ones, this allows us to save money and have more to give back to those in need.
4) It promotes community. Because used items are generally not available in stores, we must seek them out via the paths of relationships and interact with people on a personal level rather than one of customer and employee.
5) It encourages creativity. Used items may not always be available to meet our exact needs the way that new items are. This requires us to be creative in problem-solving and finding existing products to meet our needs.
Finding used products is not always easy. Here's a few resources to get you started:
www.freecycle.org - a website based in local communities where users post items they want to give away (free!) and items they want to receive.
www.swaptree.com - an online bartering system. Simply create an account (it's free), list items you want to give away (books, music, ) and items you want to receive. The system automatically sets you up for 'swaps' with other users around the country. You only pay for postage. Send your item to them and receive your 'new' one in the mail!
www.craigslist.com - a resource for many things, but contains an extensive listing of used items for sale in the local community. Often very good prices!
The Salvation Army and other thrift or consignment shops - In my area there is a huge selection of quality items available for dirt cheap prices. Plus the money you do spend benefits the poor. You can't lose.
Second-hand book stores - Often you can bring books you don't want anymore and trade them for other used books you'd like to read. It can be an endless source of free reading material you might not find in libraries.
Yard Sales - duh. But beware buying things you don't need. That doesn't help anyone!
1) It is a form of recycling, using something that already exists rather than expending energy and resources to create something new. This also saves the used object from going straight to a landfill.
2) It does justice. In many cases, people have been exploited to produce the new thing that we are buying. Buying used cuts down on the demand for these items and refuses to fuel a corrupt system which abuses the poor.
3) It promotes generosity. 99% of the time, used items are less expensive than new ones, this allows us to save money and have more to give back to those in need.
4) It promotes community. Because used items are generally not available in stores, we must seek them out via the paths of relationships and interact with people on a personal level rather than one of customer and employee.
5) It encourages creativity. Used items may not always be available to meet our exact needs the way that new items are. This requires us to be creative in problem-solving and finding existing products to meet our needs.
Finding used products is not always easy. Here's a few resources to get you started:
www.freecycle.org - a website based in local communities where users post items they want to give away (free!) and items they want to receive.
www.swaptree.com - an online bartering system. Simply create an account (it's free), list items you want to give away (books, music, ) and items you want to receive. The system automatically sets you up for 'swaps' with other users around the country. You only pay for postage. Send your item to them and receive your 'new' one in the mail!
www.craigslist.com - a resource for many things, but contains an extensive listing of used items for sale in the local community. Often very good prices!
The Salvation Army and other thrift or consignment shops - In my area there is a huge selection of quality items available for dirt cheap prices. Plus the money you do spend benefits the poor. You can't lose.
Second-hand book stores - Often you can bring books you don't want anymore and trade them for other used books you'd like to read. It can be an endless source of free reading material you might not find in libraries.
Yard Sales - duh. But beware buying things you don't need. That doesn't help anyone!
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